Bird steps down Coach to leave after three years
SEVERN Stars head coach Sam Bird is leaving the club after three years. She joined the coaching team as assistant coach to Mo’onia Gerrard and then took over as head coach in 2017.
The Club progressed from eighth in its first year to sixth place in the last two seasons and Bird led Stars to two semifinal places in consecutive years at the British Fast5 All-stars Championships.
Bird said: “It has been a pleasure to work with the team from the beginning and through three seasons.
“It has been very rewarding to see players signed by the Club make improvements in their game play and understanding and being passionate about playing for Stars.”
Anita Navin, Co-director of Severn Stars, and Head of the School of Sport and Exercise at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “Sam has been integral to making the Club what it is today and we wish her every success in the future. We will be looking to make an announcement about a new head coach in the coming weeks.”
Bird has a busy summer ahead as head coach for England A, who will be playing a number of the top international teams coming to this summer’s Netball World Cup.
Her final game in charge ended with a 60-45 defeat at home to a clinical top of the table Wasps side at the University of Worcester Arena.
In the early stages of the first quarter
Wasps took a 5-1 lead but shooter Georgia Rowe scored from a fantastic long feed from wing defence Ella-powell Davies in the last 10 seconds of the quarter to end it with the score at 17-9.
Captain Maryka Holtzhausen, at goal attack, successfully took some spectacular long shots that helped the home side bring the score to back within five but Wasps stretched back out by half time to lead 33-23.
The third quarter was well fought and Holtzhausen continued the long range efforts and Stars won the quarter by four, taking the score to 45-39.
In the final quarter, Wasps showed why they were top of the table, with clinical shooting and a well drilled team, which enabled them to extend their lead.